A legacy of artistry, pain and the burden of gift
Friday, September 05, 2025 | 380 Views |
Mathala (right) pays tribute to national icon ATI (left)
Like many, I first met ATI through his music. His voice reached me before I ever knew him in person. But life would later bring us together in a way I never expected. As a journalist, I am used to observing from a distance. I don’t befriend the people I write about. But with ATI, the distance collapsed, tota o iforcitse mo go nna.
It began with a story I had written, surprisingly unrelated to music or entertainment, that caught his attention. He reached out, and a quick exchange turned into a conversation that lasted over an hour. From then on, I came to know not just ATI the artist, but Atasaone Bryan Molemogi the man himself.
The rise in defilement and missing persons cases, particularly over the recent festive period, points not merely to a failure of policing, but to a profound and widespread societal crisis. Whilst the Police chief’s plea is rightly directed at parents, the root of this emergency runs deeper, demanding a collective response from every corner of our community. Marathe’s observations paint a picture of neglect with children left alone for...